Patriots vs. Broncos preview: Manning/Brady, Revis/Talib highlight key matchups

November 1st, 2014

by Dakota Antelman

When the Patriots and Broncos face off Sunday afternoon in Foxboro they will be facing a bracingly cold and windy weather scenario. Beyond that, the game will be a showcase of the skills of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Brady and Manning enter the game with nearly identical numbers in the past few weeks. Manning only recently set the all-time touchdown record for a quarterback while Brady has recently climbed past the 50,000 passing yards milestone.  

With each milestone, the rivalry between Manning and Brady intensifies. As their respective careers reach their final days and their career statistics climb past previous norms, these meetings become increasingly spectacular.

"Peyton has been a phenomenal player -- so consistent and durable for a long period of time," Brady said. "We've had a great rivalry in the AFC East (when Manning was with Indianapolis), and this year is no different."

Supercharging this game with emotion is the fact that its winner will be granted the best record in the AFC. If the past is any indication of who will grab that positive record, the Patriots are at a serious advantage. Brady is 10-5 all-time against Manning with an even bigger discrepancy becoming evident in Brady’s record in “cold weather games”.  

If the past few games applies any direct influence on the outcome of this game however, the Broncos hold a decisive advantage. They beat the Patriots in their last meeting back in the AFC Championship while nearly beating them in last year’s regular season clash. It took the biggest comeback in Patriots history to seal that win.

Starting fast will be key for the Patriots.

"They've played from ahead, which has been a great advantage for them all season," Brady said. "Hopefully we can get off to a fast start and make them play from behind for once, because you don't want to get behind these guys too much."

Beyond Brady/Manning, this game does feature another huge clash of old and new and good and great. Darrell Revis and Aqib Talib are two of the best corners in the game right now. Revis is coming off of a shut down performance last week against Chicago while Talib comes back to his old home riding the momentum of a 7 tackle game vs the Chargers.

The big story in this game will be how Manning deals with Revis who has, in the minds of many, been much better than Talib.

"We're trying to get everybody involved," Manning said. "If you're throwing against (Revis), you better be accurate."

With bragging rights for Brady and Manning as well as the number one spot in the conference on the line, Sunday’s game against Denver will be a memorable one. 

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Patriots at Dolphins Week One Preview: With predictions daring, the Patriots kick things off in a must win

Alas the summer has ended. As our thermometers that show the searing temperatures of August are beginning to warn of opposite weather signifying that summer has finally, blissfully ended giving way to the seasons known not as fall and winter but rather as a one football season. After drafts completed and training camps ground through, the NFL season began Thursday with the Seahawks defeating the Packers 36 to 16 and most other teams logging their final practices before their respective openers. 

The Patriots, who are set to play the Dolphins at one o'clock on Sunday, were no different this week, fielding their vast array of new talent for their practices as they hope to live up to the high expectations fans have of them this year. Their first step in proving that will be staying on the field. For the past few years, this team that has been fully capable of winning a Super Bowl has only been hindered in doing so by a variety of torn ligaments, bruised brains and more. When we look at these last few years the loss of Rob Gronkowski for various periods of time has been glaring. Additionally, the sudden injuries to Aquib Talib in back to back AFC Championships could also be pointed to as reasons for early exits by this team. Basically each year since their Super Bowl loss in 2011, the Patriots have fielded an opening day roster that could easily win the NFL title. Their only problem has been depth. Finally Bill Belichick addressed that problem in blowing things up this off-season.  

Going into week one, the Patriots will have a suddenly ferocious running back squad that includes the likes of an underrated Shane Vereen, rookie James White and a finally demoted but still skilled Stephan Ridley. This wonderful improvement to the Patriots rushing game will allow Tom Brady to work in some new read option plays as well as keep the offence moving even if a receiver like Rob Gronkowski goes down again. Furthermore, it will allow the Patriots coaches to put fumble prone Ridley on a much shorter leash as even without him, the team would still have its power rusher in White and its flashy RB in Vereen. 

In an interview with Sirius XM back in August, Bill Belichick spoke on the subject of White. "He's a very interesting and versatile player," he said. "He does a good job in the passing game and in the running game -- both inside and outside. Blitz pickup -- we have a pretty extensive offense for him to learn, but he's working hard at it. We'll just let him go and see how it goes, but I think he has the ability to compete on all three downs, in both the running game and the passing game." 

Keeping with the theme of depth, the Patriots will also be rolling out a new look defense in week one with headline CB, Darrelle Revis serving as the centerpiece to their pass defense that now  also includes league veteran Brandon Browner. This week one game that features Miami wide receiver Mike Wallace will actually be a perfect showcase of the capabilities of this revamped Pats defense. Wallace who will begin his second season in Miami against the Patriots is a man who despite his up and down stats has always boasted incendiary speed off the line. Revis, the Patriot who will be tasked with matching those explosive sprints up the sideline said to ESPN's Mike Reiss earlier this week that Wallace is "probably the fastest in the league." 

All we can say about that is that Revis is a smart man to acknowledge and prepare for Wallace to the fullest extent. At the NFL Combine in 2009, Mike ran a 4.33 second 40 meter dash blowing scouts away and serving as his calling card going into the draft. 

Revis, who ran 4.38 in his 40 yard dash back in 2007 of all people is nonetheless capable of catching Wallace. Such turns out to be a theme with the Patriots as they match up against the Dolphins. 

Each season since their 6-10 2011 failure, the Dolphins have been getting consistently better as they have begun conditioning their decided starter Ryan Tannehill while grooming a vast array of linemen and tight ends through the draft and their practice squad. Though Miami in the present is not a squad that could possibly contend with the Patriots for the AFC East title which the team has sat upon for the better part of 15 years, they have given the Patriots their fair share of scares of late, actually defeating New England last season and regularly keeping even their losses close well into the 4th quarter. But as said earlier, the Patriots are still incomprehensibly better than their South Beach foes. It is almost like those Bruins vs Providence Bruins games each year where, though sometimes the affiliate wins, no one ever calls the squads equal. 

At 1 in the afternoon Sunday, the Patriots will step onto the steamy field in Miami while we all watch from home in pleasant New England. Patriots fans will watch that game from afar, hoping that by afternoon's end they will be celebrating. Furthermore, they will also be distantly fantasizing about a much grander celebration that might involve duck boats and a shiny trophy specked with confetti a little over 5 months from now. As it stands, we might have reason to believe that both those hopes and wishes will be granted.

*all statistics from ESPN.com

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Thoughts on Patriots not using the franchise tag

Each year, one of the first signs of which teams are contenders and which teams are pretenders can be seen in what each team does in the off season. Good selfless GM's who truly do what is best for their team with the money and privileges they possess ultimately turn out good, committed teams with at least a chance at winning it all come February. 

But money does get in the way, and no matter how rich they may be, cash does not flow into the NFL's individual teams with infinite quantity. In New England, much of the Patriot's financial talks of late have circled around two players - Aqib Talib and Julian Edelman - and more to the point what might happen if either of them escaped to free agency. 

Fact is, even with the deep cash pool that Robert Kraft has accumulated since he took over the Patriots 20 years ago, with both Edelman and Talib coming off spectacular years in which Talib owned the Patriots secondary and Edelman accumulated over 100 catches, they knew that the price for bringing them back in 2014 might be very stiff. However, at least until 3:00PM Monday, there was another option. 

In what has been named as the franchise tag, each NFL team is presented with the opportunity to retain one player, no matter their level of play and no matter another team's interest for one base rate. In Patriots history, they have never been a team in love with the tag but most notably utilized it 2 years ago on Wes Welker.  

But for the second straight season, the annual deadline for teams to either use or forgo the franchise tag came and passed without action in Foxbourgh and at least for the time being, it appears to be a rather questionable decision.  

In what was surely the best season of his career, Talib in particular made a serious case to get paid the 11.5 million dollar salary for a franchise tagged CB. He made 4 interceptions and defended 13 passes while making 35 tackles.

"[Talib] wasn't on the field a lot of the time since he's been with us," Robert Kraft said at the Super Bowl. "It's a balance, of us balancing all that out and what is he worth. I think he's happy here and would like to be here. We're happy with him and we'd like to have him here. Now it's just about doing business." 

According to ESPN Boston's Matt Reis, one of the biggest reasons the Patriots did not hand Talib those 11 million dollars was his health. Though he played all but 3 games this season and was a key role player in every single one, he has now been knocked out of two straight AFC Championship games. But nevertheless, the latter of those two injures was certainly not his fault. He is no Danny Ammendola. 

So if that does not make sense, what does?

More than any other, a logical explanation for the Patriots' negligence is that that there have been rumors that he and the team are negotiating a contract at a substantially lower annual salary. In a scenario like that, the Patriots are being smart in knowing that by locking down Talib for 2 or 3 years at say 7 or 8 million a year, they would then have the additional 3 or 4 million dollars to add on to a big contract to lock down Julian Edelman who will most likely be a far more sought after name than Talib. 

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"It was a deliberate play to take out Aqib" - Bill Belichick on Welker hit on Aqib Talib

The biggest game left on the Patriots calendar is the meaningless Pro Bowl. The biggest game left on the Denver Broncos calendar is Febuary's Super Bowl. Those words, that future and this reality must sting for Patriots fans and yet, it we would be sore losers if we diminished the skill it took for Denver to earn themselves such a promising future. They won 13 regular season games in 2013, obliterating defenses through tic tack tow passing and well-timed rushing while remaining disciplined on defense and never letting up no matter that in game situation. 

They were not cocky, they never underestimated an opponent and so, here they are AFC East Champions for the first time in decades and playoff winners against one of the hottest teams in football, the Chargers and the omnipresent in the playoffs Patriots. In both of these playoff games, their pass game has been critical in their victory as Peyton Manning has already hurled 630 passing yards in these two playoff games. A huge part of that passing proficiency must be attributed not to the work of Manning but instead to his receivers. Wes Welker is one of those receivers and while he once again had a huge impact on Sunday's AFC Title Game victory over his former team, the Patriots it was not made via a play he made on the football. Early in the 2nd quarter of the game, the Broncos who were up 3-0 but would soon be relishing a 10-0 lead by the end of the drive ran a play that stacked the left side of the field with 3 down field threats. As the play unfolded however, receiver, Julias Thomas crossed the middle of the field and ran unchecked as Manning reared back to deliver the screen pass. However, the separation that allowed for the play to be executed with such ease was not created by any sort of speed or movement by Thomas. That separation was caused by the sheer fact that the man who was assigned with the job of covering him was on the ground, writhing in pain after he was decked by Wes Welker. 

Aqib Talib who made 35 total tackles and grabbed 4 interceptions in 2013 was the best and brightest of this Patriots defensive unit that otherwise lacked backbone this season but sadly for Patriots fans, in this game involving such an array of offensive talents for Denver, he never returned to the field after the Welker hit that was suspected of causing both a rib and knee injury to the Pro Bowl corner back. According to Bill Belichick, the possibility of that being a coincidence was very low. 

"It was a deliberate play by the receiver to take out Aqib. No attempt to get open," Belichick said. "I'll let the league handle the discipline on that play, whatever they decide. It's one of the worst plays I've seen. That's all I'll say about that."

For those who follow the Patriots, Belichick opening up at all, much less calling a play made by a former player of his "the worst he has ever seen" is as finite as humanly possible. For many, this is as mad as Bill has ever gotten at a opposing player. 

While Belichick was the only Patriot employed person to break his strongly imposed veil of no comment interaction with reporters, several other Patriots did comment on the hit amidst this media frenzy 24 hours after the fact. 

"I was asked about the hit on Talib, and I feel badly for Aqib," Tom Brady said Monday. "The way that play turned out -- I went back and watched it, which I didn't have a chance to yesterday."

Additionally, it was Welker who came to his own defense in an attempt to preserve his public image. Predictably, he denied any intent to injure on his part.

"It was one of those plays where it's kind of a rough play and I was trying to get him to go over the top, and I think he was thinking the same thing and wanted to come underneath and we just kind of collided," Welker said Sunday. "It wasn't a deal where I was trying to hit him or anything like that" he said "I hope he's OK. He's a great player and a big part of their defense."

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We must peer behind the 4: A look at why skeptisisum on the charecture of Aquib Talib may be for good reason

This man's name is Aquib Talib. Prior to the 2008 draft where he was picked up by the Buccaneers, he was on the wrong end of a battery charge. 1 year later, he was arrested again for assaulting a cab driver and a year after that he managed to anger the NFL enough to warrant a 4 game suspension that was issued just weeks after he signed with the New England Patriots. But while Talib has seen a good 3 or 4 years of intermittent flirting with  a prison sentence the same Patriots fans who just a few months ago saw Aaron Hernandez hauled into jail cannot help but look past the flaws and fixate simply on the stellar product that Talib has been producing. 

Much like Hernandez, there is no doubt how skilled Talib is ON the field but the questions that constantly surround him once he leaves it should raise some red flags...but that is not the case. The Patriots are 4-0, Talib has an interception in each of those games and has come up huge whenever his team needed him most. Through 4 games no Patriot has been more influential than Aquib Talib. But as was true with Hernandez, with every mega pick or game winning blocked pass, we are tempted to do what this Patriots organization must never do again, forget the past. 

Born in February of 1986, Aquib Talib began his career in Cleveland playing high-school football. There he skillfully transitioned into the corner-back role while he earned himself a pretty high ranking on several NCAA recruiting boards. Talib would eventually commit to the University of Kansas where he played 3 seasons before deferring to the NFL prior to his senior season. 

There was where the trouble started. 

Much like those years before college, Talib was a treasured asset and one fiercely fought over by the large majority of NFL teams. But it seemed that one team wanted him more. Even with 3 additional QB's, 3 top receivers and a pair of treasured running backs still left undrafted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sacrificed their 3rd round pick when they began Talib's career with a rather unforeseen induction.  

But not to worry, then Bucs draft manager: Jon Gruden was quick to give some explanation.

"My guts are ripped out of my body right now. I'm no different than our fans," Gruden said. "I fall in love with some of these guys. You get relationships with them. You study their tape, their profiles. You follow their progress on a daily basis, and you drive home at night, wake up in the morning some days and envision what a great thrill it would be to coach some of these guys." 

But even then, the signs were there that Gruden had at least taken a risk. To that point, Talib had already tested positive for Marijuana use 3 times and had been suspended for one of those offences back in 2006. Talib however soon diminished those allegations by dubbing the use as a "phase". 

Gruden bought it but was soon made to look foolish by the man he had showered in so much praise. 

"He came out and I believe was honest with what occurred. I'm not going to live in the past. I'm going to live in the future. I trust this kid, and we're going to give him an opportunity to prove it."

Before long he was involved in a bloody fist fight with fellow Buccaneer: Cory Boyd. 

But nevertheless, while fighting is bad, Talib deserved a second chance. That second chance was given as following the fight, Talib actually won the starting job in Tampa but the only problem was the fact that within a year he had burned that second chance and this time he was in court because of it. 

After he was somehow angered by cab driver: David Duggan, Talib struck his victim in the side of the head with a solid fist. He then refused to vacate the car even when he was asked to do so by an officer and was later revealed to be heavily intoxicated after a night at a local bar. 

"It's unfortunate, certainly, what happened last night," Bucs GM: Mike Dominik said. "I've been in contact with the league office today. This falls under the personal conduct policy. Certainly, whatever decision is made, the commissioner's decision supersedes anything the club does at this time. I am working with the commissioner's office. We're going to continue to work together through this and come to a resolution."

Talib was eventually suspended for one game but managed to escape the jurisdictions federal law without any jail time. But the damage was done and Aquib's resume was quickly becoming imbalanced. To that point he had recorded just 9 career interceptions and was not living up to the assumptions that bought him a 3rd round selection and what's worse is the fact that by 2011, he was shooting people. 

Talib in collaboration with his mother traveled to the house of his sister's boyfriend and attempted to shoot him in the face. Talib's mom turned herself in almost immediately and a warrant for her son's arrest was soon posted. 

Once again, Mike Dominik was forced to provide an explanation for some big off field mistakes made by one of his roster members. 

"We are deeply troubled by the serious charges filed against Aqib Talib," Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said in a team statement. "Due to current labor circumstances, we will withhold any further comment or action." 

When fists changed to bullets, a line had been crossed. The Buccaneers were done with Aquib. But not before the NFL almost simultaneously tagged him with a 4 game suspension for taking a drug normally prescribed for those suffering from ADHD. 

"Around the beginning of training camp, I made a mistake by taking an Adderall pill without a prescription." He said after being traded to the Patriots just after the suspension was announced. 

The Patriots decided to give him one last chance filling out the final year of his contract and allowing him to start the rest of his season following the suspension at corner-back. After no additional altercations took place during last season, his contract was renewed in 2013. That now takes us to the present day. To date, he has already equaled his season average in interceptions just 4 games into the season. He has forced a fumble and taken down 10 players via a tackle. But in perhaps the biggest moment of this 2013 season, Aquib Talib got a hand on a 4th and 10 late 4th quarter would be touchdown pass by Matt Ryan. The ball bounced to the ground and in a play that took very little actual skill, Talib was suddenly made into a superstar in Foxborough. 

With just 4 games of success, Talib has tricked people into forgetting the past and looking simply on that big 4 spot in the INT column...and that is dangerous. For almost 3 seasons, Aaron Hernandez routinely saw his fair share of great 4 game stretches but no matter how good he was, the signs surrounding his gun problems were still there should you have chosen to look for them. 

When the Patriots were struggling under the disgrace of the Hernandez saga Bob Kraft broke his silence saying that he was "duped" by Aaron Hernandez. Now while we know nothing for sure and while there is a huge chase that Talib unlike Hernandez has in fact changed, it must be plainly pointed out that the SECOND time you get duped might hurt even more than the first. 

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